King Rollo and the New Shoes

King Rollo has new shoes, but they’re different to all the rest of his shoes because these have laces. He’s never had lace-up shoes before. The magician patiently shows Rollo how to tie his shoelaces and Rollo goes to his room to practice his new skill – followed by a lot of banging and shouting noises. Eventually, when Queen Gwen arrives, Rollo is pleased to show her his new shoes that he tied himself.

Fans of King Rollo may wonder if the Magician and Cook represent King Rollo’s parents: they’re certainly always there to support Rollo in learning new tasks and in navigating the everyday challenges of being a King, which is to say, those of a child. Learning to tie your shoelaces is an important rite of passage as a child and Rollo’s joy at mastering the tricky skill is something we can all relate to.